Grapple of the hay-fork type



Aug. 20, 1940. n w E, MCCLEARY 2,212,350

GRAPPLE OF THE HAY-FORK TYPE Filed March l, 1939 glu/ummm,

WE MC'Zeary.

ratentedAug. 2o, 1940 UNITED STATES GRAPPLE or THE HAY-FORK TYPE f Walter E.Mcc1eary,ottawa,1l1. i Application March 1, 1939, Serial No. 259,079

3 Claims.

This invention relates to grapples, and espeycially to the hayfork type, being an improvement oncertain well known patented devices in thatclass.

One object of this invention, is to provide an improved device for use in handling hay, straw,

.pea-vines and the like in a more convenient and efficient manner than is possible with previously known devices.

Another object is to provide, in a device of this kind, a set of spring-cushioned supporting and operating links, one for each of the tines, for yieldingly connecting the tines to rthe lifting and carrying frame through the medium of the unit which comprises the multiple connecting element and the dog or latehing element; whereby to effect, first keeping the tines in their proper right-angular relation to one another and in proper relation to kretain them in their upright positio-n preparatory to being spready and pushed into the massof hay or similar material to be grasped and carried thereby; second, to press the tines yieldingly but firmly and with constant pressure against the load being carried thereby,'so there isA no relaxing -or diminishing of the gripping pressure during variations of speed of the hoist (not shown) that carries this device with its load; third, to-cushion shocks occasioned by starting, changing speed-rates, and stopping of the hoist, so a smaller and less expensive hoist-line can be used without diminishing the safety against breaking of the hoist-line, and with a decrease of the dead-load and a corresponding saving of I3 power and power-production means; fourth, to enable the spread of the tines to be extended beyond the normal, against pressure of the springs of the spring-cushioned links, and thus increase the load to be grasped and carried by this device,

thereby eliminating the necessity and expense of providing several sets of tines of diiferent'lengths for varying the available load-capacities; and fifth, to enable the device to carry small loads Without gripping them, for instance, scattered v remnants of hay or the like that can be gathered Fig. 2 is a top plan detail assembly view showing the multiple connecting head having the spring-cushioning links and tines pivotally connected thereto and spread in right-angular relation to one another, `only one of the tines being complete, the others being broken off.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one of the spring-cushioned links.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View taken along the I line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, in which,

similar reference numerals refer to similar parts in the several views, the invention is described in detail as follows:

In broad terms, the invention consists of a frame provided with supporting and hoisting means that includes a hoist-line I I, a multiple connecting element I2 normally secured to the frame I0 and releasable therefrom, springcushioning linksk I3 each having one end pivotally "20 secured to the multiple connecting element and having its kother end pivotally secured` to one of several tines I4, and flexible or collapsible elements I5 each having one end secured to the frame I0 and its other end secured to one of the Referring again to the frame I0, it is seen that 'it is provided with a keeper-element Illa that is normally engaged with a latch-element |217', and an apertured pivoted arm I6 cooperates with a pullcord, cable or chain for releasing this latchelement from the keeper-element when it is desired to effect the dumping or releasing of the load grasped by the device. Chains or other flexible connections I5 have their lower .ends connected to the intermediate parts of the pivoted connecting arms I 4a. These elements,fall except the spring-cushion links I3 are previously known; but the combination of these parts with springcushion links comprises the very important feature of my invention, for purposes previously mentioned herein. These spring-cushion links take the place of chains previously used and which permitted the tines to fall flat in a conglomerate relation to one another, in contradistinction to these spring-cushion links that normally hold the tines in the upright position shown (see Fig. 1).

Each of these spring-cushioning links is composed of an open frame l3al having an apertured connecting ear ISU at one end and a plungerbearing |30 at its other end, its intermediate parts comprising four parallel guide-bars |3d; a rodor plunger 13e is slidably mounted in the bearing |30 and has an apertured connecting ear I3f on one end while its other end is provided with a spring-seat lg removably secured on the plunger by appropriate means such as (for instance) a split Cotter-pin I3h; and a spring |32' is compressed between the bearing seat and the apertured endthat constitutes the bearing for the plunger.

From the foregoing, it is easily seen that when the apertured ear of the plunger is pulled away from the open frame, the link I3 becomes elongated to an extent commensurate with the weight of the load or to the pull exerted on the tines in extending them laterally from thefmultiple connecting head l2. When it is desired to interchange springs |31' so as to substitute a more exible or weaker spring Vfor a'stiffer or stronger spring, the Cotter-piny l3h is first removed, the spring seat thereby released from the rod 53e, and the rod is then withdrawn suiciently to permit the interchange of the springs.

Although I have described this invention in all its details, I have nov intention to limit my patent protection to these precise details, for the invention is susceptible of numerous changes within the scope of the inventive ideas, as implied and claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame provided with supporting means for raising and lowering it and with a keeper element, a multiple connecting head provided with a latch-element normally engaged with and releasable from said keeper element, a set of spring-cushioning elements, bent tines each having oneend pivotally connected to said multiple connecting head through the medium of a corresponding one of said spring-cushioning elements, and Flexible elements connected to intermediate parts of the tines and also connected to said frame, for purposes specified.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame provided with supporting means for raising and lowering it and with a keeper-element,` a multiple connecting head having several pivot-carrying projections in substantially equi-spaced relation around a centrally disposed part that is normally engaged with said keeper and releaseable from the latter, sev# eral spring-cushioning elements each having one end pivoted to a respective one of said pivot-carrying projectionsV in the proper relation to be swung from a normally upright position to a horizontal position wherein all these cushioning elements are held at a definite predetermined angular relation to one another, several hook-like tines each comprising an arm having one endl pivoted on a respective one of the spring-cush-- ioning links inthe proper relation to be alined with the respective links when said links and arms are in horizontal position, and eXible connecting elements each having a p-art securedV to ing therethrough and *having parts extending through spaces between the guide bars of said pairs, a plunger having one end secured in said opening of said spring yseat and having its other end provided with a pivot bearing, and a coinpression springseated between saidspring seat and said plunger-bearing and being compressible so'as to permit the irst-said pivot-#bearing to be moved away from the second said pivot bearing While being secured against relative rotary motion by cooperation of said springeseat withk said guide-bars, substantially as showin'for purposes speciied. y

WALTER E. MCCLEARY. 

